posted 05-17-2009 10:47 PM
Watched the Six Million Dollar Man episode "Population Zero" the other day. In it, Steve Austin briefly wears what looks to me to be a Gemini suit. Steve's not in space, but wears it while investigating a small town that may have been attacked by something like poison gas.

I'm no expert, but if that isn't a real suit it's a heck of a good imitation. Anybody know anything about it? Just curious!

Max QMember

Posts: 395From: Whyalla South AustraliaRegistered: Mar 2007

posted 05-18-2009 05:33 AM
Man now that brings back some memories I haven't seen the Six Million Dollar Man for 20 years but is that the episode where he claims he wore that suit on the Moon?

TonyqMember

Posts: 158From: UKRegistered: Jul 2004

posted 05-18-2009 07:57 AM
I don't know about the episode you refer to, but I know there is a two part episode called 'Deadly Countdown' which co-stars the British actress, Jenny Agutter.

Both Majors and Agutter wear Apollo A7L suits, and I remember reading that these were real suits which had been used in Skylab training.

Agutter's suit had been Pete Conrad's - presumably needed to be small enough for her.

I have got some screen grabs somewhere, which I'll post, if anyone is interested.

stsmithvaMember

Posts: 1537From: Fairfax, VA, USARegistered: Feb 2007

posted 05-18-2009 12:20 PM
A Lee Majors website run by a fan in the UK has a 1970s article (from the "Enquirer"; maybe National Enquirer) about the "Deadly Countdown" episode, complete with photos of him in the suit and of filming at Kennedy Space Center.

Here are some quotes from the article:

An ENQUIRER reporter and a photographer were with Majors at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., where he filmed a special two-part episode called "Enemy in Space," to be aired Sept. 25 and Oct. 2. (NB. This episode aired under the title "Deadly Countdown" - JP).

Majors' grueling role called for him to wear the same type of space suit NASA astronauts wore on their moon mission. Normally astronauts wear a special cooling suit under the 48 pound, 23 layer, $66,000 space suit, but the suit's system malfunctioned, leaving Majors to literally sweat his way through scene after strenuous scene.

TonyqMember

Posts: 158From: UKRegistered: Jul 2004

posted 05-18-2009 03:48 PM
Interesting article. They appear to have had a lot of help and co-operation form NASA making these episodes.

Here are some screen shots of Agutter from the show:

KevmacMember

Posts: 196From: College Station, TXRegistered: Apr 2003

posted 05-19-2009 12:17 AM
Hey! What TV station is showing Six Million Dollar Man re-run episodes? I don't see it on TV Land schedules. Is it being run nationally or was this a local broadcast? Would love to see those again on TV.

E2M Lem ManMember

Posts: 832From: Los Angeles CA. USARegistered: Jan 2005

posted 05-19-2009 05:28 PM
The Gemini suit and a few others are proudly shown at Edwards Air Force Base whenever they can during their airshows.

The are the property of the Air Force Environmental Control (read: Spacesuit) Office as they were lent to the Six Million Dollar Man show when they were shooting there. I was surprised the first time I saw them on display there in the 90's.

PhilipMember

Posts: 5039From: Brussels, BelgiumRegistered: Jan 2001

posted 05-20-2009 01:37 AM

quote:Originally posted by Kevmac:Would love to see those again on TV.